1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the industrial conveyor art, and more particularly, to a novel and improved spindle type conveyor. The invention is specifically concerned with a spindle type conveyor having a plurality of rotatable spindles which carry workpieces through a series of work stations, such as a washing station, a paint station, a bake oven station, a workpiece cooling station, a workpiece unload station, and a workpiece station.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the industrial conveyor art to employ conveyors for carrying workpieces through various work stations for operations on the workpieces. It is also well known in the industrial conveyor art to provide spindle conveyors having a plurality of elongated workpiece holding spindle members for carrying workpieces through a series of work stations. Problems encountered with a spindle type conveyor are those of attaching the workpiece carrying spindles to a conveyor chain, and guiding the conveyor chain and the spindles so that the spindles do not wobble. Another problem encountered in spindle type conveyors is that the spindles were mounted on extended pins on the conveyor chain, and such pins were subject to breakage if a spindle became caught in the conveyor system, which would then cause a breakdown and damage to the conveyor system.
In an attempt to overcome such problems, the prior art spindle conveyors employed wear plates and a mating greased track for guiding the conveyor chains. A disadvantage of the last mentioned prior art spindle conveyors is that the wear plates loaded up with dirt, and when they passed through washers the conveyor wear plates would have the grease washed off. In order to overcome the last mentioned problem, separate conveyor systems were used. One conveyor system was used strictly for carrying parts through a washer booth to clean the workpieces. Another conveyor system would be used for carrying the workpieces through a paint booth, and a separate conveyor system for curing the paint coating on the workpieces. Such prior art spindle type conveyors required extra labor for loading and unloading the plurality of conveyors, as well as additional plant space for the conveyors.